To paraphrase "Reality can be so inconvenient - let's ignore it and maybe it will go away".

On reading a #university level textbook about #developmental #psychology - what concerned me (though didn't surprise me) was what research was actually missing.

The phrase "air pollution" wasn't mentioned once in the whole textbook. #AirPollution

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104580 "Age appears to play a relevant role in air pollution-induced #neurotoxicity, with growing evidence suggesting that air pollution may contribute to #neurodevelopmental and #neurodegenerative #diseases" - That means air pollution seriously harms #children's #health. Who knew? that inhaling the #chemicals emitted after burning something could be so dammed harmful? (sarcasm - as I've been writing this #### for decades)

So, what is the psychology that means (too many) psychologists have a habit of not talking about air pollution?

Could it be something quite simple? such as - people don't "like" the idea that their car's exhaust emissions, etc, are hurting their own children's health. #CogntiveDissonance

Developmental impact of air pollution on brain function https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104580

Effects of air pollution on the nervous system and its possible role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107523

#climate #ecology #ClimateChange #biology

To paraphrase "Reality can be so inconvenient - let's ignore it and maybe it will go away".

On reading a #Univerity level textbook about #developmental #psychology - what concerned me (though didn't surprise me) was what research was actually missing.

The phrase "air pollution" wasn't mentioned once in the whole textbook. #AirPollution

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104580 "Age appears to play a relevant role in air pollution-induced #neurotoxicity, with growing evidence suggesting that air pollution may contribute to #neurodevelopmental and #neurodegenerative #diseases" - That means air pollution seriously harms #children's #health. Who knew? that inhaling the #chemicals emitted after burning something could be so dammed harmful? (sarcasm - as I've been writing this #### for decades)

So, what is the psychology that means (too many) psychologists have a habit of not talking about air pollution?

Could it be something quite simple? such as - people don't "like" the idea that their car's exhaust emissions, etc, are hurting their own children's health. #CogntiveDissonance

Developmental impact of air pollution on brain function https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2019.104580

Effects of air pollution on the nervous system and its possible role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107523

#climate #ecology #ClimateChange #biology

Social media such as #Twitter, #Facebook, #YouTube & of course #Mastodon (& all the other ones) - are recent #technologies.

Although, for many younger people these social digital networks are a normal part of life.

But, what are these social networks doing to our ways of thinking? Our behaviours? Social networks & the varied ways of accessing them, such as phones, tablets, laptops & now VR headsets, are all tools. As with any tool, it's how it's used that counts. Social networks can be used responsibly in ways that improve our lives, or not.

However, the previous narrative was a primer so as to engage readers' interest. If I'd started to explain what the toot was about from the get-go, the majority of readers would have simply disengaged with the topic #CogntiveDissonance.

To be clear - I have studied the whole course of a British Psychological Society-accredited master's degree. Though I have yet to complete the dissertation in this regard and mastodon isn't helping - because it's so engaging (i.e., interesting & better than other social networks). I'm writing this - but really should be getting on with my research study.

Fundamentally, I'm procrastinating. So, even trained psychologists who may be aware of why they are doing something (& know they should be focusing on something else) - does not necessarily mean they stop procrastinating. Though of course, being aware of self-procrastination increases the probability that a person will self-mitigate it.

The scope of this toot is about how l use mastodon as a tool to try & mitigate human-caused ecological degradation (inc. climate change). There are other subjects I'm interested in - if wasn't for the fact that humans are degrading ecology, I'd spend all my time on them instead. I'd spend more time studying subjects such as #QuantumMechanics & all the "spooky action at distance" ( Einstein et al.)

Since l discovered mastodon I've devoted a considerable amount of time thinking of #ecological, #climate related, toots to toot & boost. Because Mastodon isn't owned by the #corporate sector (Hooray!) there is a better chance to inform people of the related ecological and medical evidence #biology #biotic #abiotic

At this point in this toot, please visualise something nice. This visualisation could be, for instance, a cute cat or whatever "tickles your fancy". This will help readers to be able to mitigate their cognitive dissonance. To be clear, cognitive dissonance isn't particularly a "bad" or "good" #psychological feature. #Cognitive #dissonance is a #psychological "tool" that helps us process information and therefore make decisions.

Some background information - I've been speaking out about ecological degradation for most of my adult life (I'm now over 50 & generally healthy). When speaking out in public about ecological degradation - most of those negative experiences led me to believe that most humans were either too ignorant & or too neurotic to accommodate the concerning (Cognitive dissonance) science-based information. I was partly right and partly wrong about that (more on that later) And or too apathetic to do anything even if they did accommodate the scientific evidence #VirtueSignaling.

So, I concluded that humanity's eco-destructive behaviours were endemic & that will be the end of it (& society - eventually). I've changed my mind about that so things are looking more hopeful for the future.

So, when mentioning environmental problems to most people the general social patterns were *always* the same. I used to think (perceive) that, if only people were aware of the effects of, for example, air pollution, they'd want to change their behaviours. I was right! But, most people did not have the background knowledge & were implicitly in denial of the negative effects of their eco-polluting behaviours. Basically, people like good news. So trying to explain the concerning scientific evidence ("new") tended to cause #denial.

Whilst those experiences were diverse because people have varying #personalities & backgrounds, l will describe the ones that stopped me from speaking out against smoke pollution in my local village (England, UK). To reiterate, l tried a multitude of approaches though the general "publics" response was the same.

1. Try to talk to someone who either had a smokey chimney & or burned biomass ("garden waste").

Response: hostility, denial & slander of my personality #gossip #ignorance #unethical

2. Post small posters in the village that detail the medical evidence of smoke pollution.

Response: The leaflets were removed & or the medical evidence was downplayed. Also, on reading the leaflets many local people virtue signalled - yet did nothing to change their smoke-polluting behaviours. That's why it's called virtue signalling - rather than genuine virtuous behaviour. It's "blah blah blah" #GretaThunberg

Something was clearly not right. (Good?). So, l started to study the science of psychology (several years ago).

#fact The reason many of the local people are still, fundamentally (fundamentalists) denying, that they are poisoning their own air with coal & wood smoke pollution - is because they don't want to face the truth. And, to be honest, l don't blame them for that (well? depending on my mood). Because they can't help themselves. In this context - they simply understand no better.

There is no way in hell that they'd choose to burn coal and wood if, for example, they understood that prolonged exposure to air pollution increases their chances of developing #dementia ("mental illness"), #cancer, #respiratory #diseases (#heart attacks, #strokes).

The idea of death scares many people. To reiterate - think of some "cute cats" if you find the idea of death disturbing. The birth & death lifecycle is completely normal #ecology. Many people enjoy the experience of a controlled & warm fire. The smoke is the byproduct of all that "l like" behaviour. However, the UK (England) has generally accommodated the medical evidence that smoking tobacco leads to an early grave. So why hasn't the culture accommodated the medical evidence that inhaling, for example, wood smoke pollution does the same? Wood smoke is far more toxic than tobacco smoke. So, it takes less exposure to wood smoke to cause harm (Cellular damage).

Why? The UK's #corrupt conservative government doesn't "greenwash" (lie about) the UK public about the hazards of smoking tobacco. But, the #UK has a massive #woodfuel industry & industries that sell consumers #coal. The fundamental reason why many people are greenwashed and or intentionally spread greenwash is that there is corruption on an industrial scale #GreenWash #ecocide #think cute cat images.

Currently, the UK #conservative government is trying its damdest to open a coal mine in the county of Cumbria (England). The UK Conservative government also has a terrible track record that is causing biodiversity #wildlife to crash.

Is the EU much better?

What can we do about it https://rebellion.global/

However, don't only think that we can vote out these ecocidal governments come election time. Their corruption runs very deep. They have their "grubby" little fingers in many "pies" ($).

The UK conservative higher ranking - has no problems telling absolute lies (greenwash, etc). So, as the UK gets closer to the next general election cycle - the high-ranking conservative elites will be greenwashing the UK public again. They will "blah blah blah" again - that they are the "greenest government ever" again.

Don't believe a word of it! our future depends on civilisations recognising the deception of governments and industries.

In summary - many governments and industries are full of something that is not very nice #BS

Take Action now! Well, at least after you've done something more pleasant than reading about corruption https://rebellion.global/get-involved/

To be clear - that action does not have to be protesting. Although, just think what message the governments would hear if millions of people joined forces for a climate festival \ protest.
#ClimateAction #climatejustice